ND1115117

Title: Kent Couch Balloons Over Baghdad Trip Delayed

Description: NACS retail member?s trip to aid Iraqi orphans delayed until spring.

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BEND, OR ? Due to ?ballooning? interest and attention, NACS retail member Kent Couch?s plan to fly a twin-lawn chair balloon over Baghdad to raise money for Iraqi orphans has been delayed until next spring, KTVZ.com reports.

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"Once we landed (in Dubai), the project began to snowball," said filmmaker Marshall Burgtorf, a Bend filmmaker documenting the trip. "The project has grown considerably ..."

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Burgtorf said Couch and his wife, Susan, will head to Baghdad soon to visit dignitaries and hopefully an orphanage. They had plans to meet an Iraqi government representative yesterday in Dubai.

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"Upon arrival to Dubai, it was very apparent that this was going to be a much bigger story than one of two adventurers floating across Iraq," read an entry posted Sunday on the trip's blog, balloonsoverbaghdad.com. "It is also about the millions of Iraqi children that have lost their parents. We will be traveling to Baghdad soon to hear their stories first-hand."

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Couch had planned to launch today, but international interest, including the attention of Prince Albert of Monaco, prompted him to change his itinerary. Indeed, Prince Albert has agreed to contribute aid for the many children to be present on the day of the balloon launch.

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The revised plan is for Couch and Iraqi pilot Captain Fareed Abdul-Zahra to begin the flight in March 2012in a stadium packed with children in Baghdad and end in Basra. Capt. Fareed is expected to visit the U.S. to help promote the journey.

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Couch?s underlying goal is to bring attention to the three million orphans of Iraq with the hope that global NGOs will partner with Iraqis to help care for the children.?

Content Subject: NACS

Formatted Article Date: November 15, 2011

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